- Home
- Victoria Street Market
Victoria Street Market
Discover Durban’s Heritage Market
A colourful building marks the edge of Warwick Junction: the Victoria Street Market. This vibrant heritage site is one of the highlights of the Markets of Warwick Walking Tour, offering a unique range of gifts, décor and souvenirs that celebrate South Africa’s cultural diversity.
+27 (0) 31 309 3880
What can you expect?
Visitors will explore small, individually owned shops filled with handcrafted jewellery, aromatic spices, skinned products, traditional arts and crafts, and intricate beadwork.
Immersive Cultural Experience
As part of the walking tour, you will experience the rhythm of trade, meet traders, hear their stories, and gain insight into the traditions passed down through generations. There will be time to browse, shop, and discover unique treasures that reflect Durban’s rich heritage.
History of the Market
Early Traders and Foundations
The Victoria Street Market’s story begins in the late 1800s. Original traders were Indian indentured labourers who sold goods along Victoria Street between 1860 and 1910. These traders established the foundations of Durban’s vibrant informal economy, introducing skills and products that continue to this day.
Municipal Establishment
In 1910, the municipality officially created the market to house these traders. Today, around 180 traders operate in the market, most of them third or fourth-generation descendants of the original street vendors. Each trader maintains a small shop, keeping alive personal connections and cultural traditions.
Book Your Spot Today
Reserve your place on the walking tour and experience the Victoria Street Market for yourself.
- Fun Facts
Did you know?
The market is a vibrant reflection of Durban’s diversity. Indian and African traders continue to coexist, contributing to a marketplace full of creativity, heritage, and resilience.
A Resilient Community
Between 1968 and 1973, there were plans to move the market for a freeway. Traders resisted to protect their livelihoods and heritage. In 1973, a fire destroyed the market under circumstances some traders consider suspicious. Traders were relocated to the Bulk Sales Hall alongside the African Market until 1990. This created a unique cultural exchange between Indian and African traders, quietly defying apartheid’s policies of segregation.
Return and Rebuilding
After years of lobbying, with support from Senator Owen Horwood, the market was rebuilt along Victoria Street. Ninety per cent of traders became shareholders with sectional title rights to their shops. The market was officially named the Victoria Street Market, preserving its cultural and commercial legacy.
Join the Tour
Explore Durban’s Iconic Market The Victoria Street Market is one of the nine vibrant stops on the Markets of Warwick Walking Tour. Step into this iconic heritage site, explore colourful shops, support local traders, and discover stories that have shaped Durban for over a century.
- Frequently asked questions
Got questions? We have answers!
Get the answers you need to plan your perfect walking tour from booking details to tour highlights.
Yes, the market is open to the public every day. However, joining the Markets of Warwick Walking Tour gives you the full experience, with a guide sharing the history, stories, and cultural significance behind the market.
You can find jewellery, spices, skinned products, traditional arts and crafts, and beadwork, all crafted by local traders.
It reflects over a century of Durban’s cultural and commercial history, celebrates the city’s diversity, and showcases the resilience and creativity of its traders.
Tours typically last 2–3 hours, depending on how much time you spend exploring each stop.
Victoria Street Market is a vibrant hub of local culture, offering spices, crafts, textiles, and street food. You’ll meet friendly traders and discover the rich history of Durban’s oldest market.
Yes! Photography is encouraged, but always ask traders before photographing people or their stalls.